BJP entered into coalition with PDP to fight separatists

Arun Jaitley said BJP will never compromise with any type of separatism

Days after PDP and BJP formed the government here afresh, Union Minister Arun Jaitley today said his party had entered into the coalition despite "totally different" ideologies of the two parties to fight separatist forces and serve Jammu and Kashmir.

He said BJP has "emotional and ideological" relationship with Jammu and Kashmir and would never compromise with any type of separatism.

"We have a political ideology that we will never compromise with any type of separatism. We will oppose it," said Jaitley, Minister for Finance and Information and Broadcasting, while attending a party programme here.

"Today it is a political reality that the mainstream political parties and the people of Kashmir region come together in our fight against separatism and we have to use this coalition in that direction," he said as he urged all political forces in the state to come together and fight the forces of separatism.

Jaitley said it is "known to everybody and our friends in the PDP also know that our ideologies are totally different but in such a political scenario to serve the country and the state, BJP got the opportunity to serve the state."

His comments on coalition came less than a week after PDP and BJP formed afresh the government headed by Mehbooba Mufti after nearly three months of uncertainty.

The two parties ran a coalition government headed by PDP leader Mufti Sayeed for 10 months before his sudden death on January 7. Thereafter, there was wrangling between the two parties, leading to uncertainty for sometime.

Responding to questions, Jaitley said, "I will not comment about the country but will comment on Jammu and Kashmir. BJP not only has a political relationship but an emotional and ideological relationship with Jammu and Kashmir."

He recalled that when Jan Sangh, the parent party of BJP, was formed, the first issue it raised was about Jammu and Kashmir and the leaders made sacrifices.

"The nationalistic path that we are following, its foundation was laid by Shyama Prasad Mookerjee and Pandit Prem Nath Dogra," the Union Minister said.

"Today, it is a unique situation and in which the people of the state gave a verdict during elections in which the maximum seats in Jammu were won by us.

"In Kashmir, PDP got most number of seats and if we do arithmetic of all four major parties, the arithmetic decided which government would be formed so it was dictated by the arithmetic," he said.

He said it was a hard situation, as to how to move forward, and the political leadership in state and in Delhi had to accept the challenge.

"I am of the opinion that several people contributed to making the state unit of the party strong," he said.